US Appeals Court Will Not Reinstate Biden’s Vaccine Mandate For Federal Employees

A U.S. appeals court panel on Wednesday said it would not reinstate President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal employees, declining to overrule a lower court ruling that put the order on hold. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals declined to stay the lower-court injunction against the mandate by a 2-1 vote and asked both parties to file arguments in March. The lower court’s injunction against the mandate was issued by Texas-based District Judge Jeffrey Brown last month, who ruled that Biden does not have the authority to impose such a mandate. In a 20-page ruling, the judge sided with plaintiffs who argued that language used in federal law does not give way to the mandate being enforced. Government lawyers stated that federal law says the president “may prescribe regulations for the conduct of employees in the executive branch,” and that the act of becoming vaccinated is “plainly conduct.” But plaintiffs said that conduct cited must …  » Read full article